JOHANNES BRAHMS | Symphony No. 2 in D major | Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider | Detroit Symphony Orchestra
JOHANNES BRAHMS | Symphony No. 2 in D major | Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider | Detroit Symphony Orchestra
約翰內斯·布拉姆斯 | D大調第二號交響曲 | 尼古拉·塞普斯-茲奈德 | 底特律交響樂團
290 views, Jun 2, 2026 #DSO #DetroitSymphonyOrchestra #IAMDSO
rahm’s second symphony was composed in the sunny rural environment of Portschach, a remote lakeside village in the Carinthian Alps of Southern Austria. Brahms' close friend, the surgeon and amateur pianist Theodor Billroth said "it is all rippling streams, blue sky, sunshine, and cool green shadows. How beautiful it must be at Pörtschach!" Billroth's comment is especially applicable to the easy, rocking themes that dominate the exposition of the first movement and to the gentle Austrian minuet that makes up the third movement. Though the first movement builds up a typical Brahmsian storm in its central development section and its lengthy coda, the themes set forth at the beginning of the movement are mostly lyrical and untroubled. But even here, Brahms's stylistic fingerprints are clear in a motivic imitation that shadows the opening horn theme, as well as in the long, spun-out character of a subsidiary violin theme that soon follows. In his contrapuntal wizardry, Brahms combines the two themes when they return at the beginning of the recapitulation.
The plaintive slow movement opens with one of Brahms's heartfelt cello themes. Gorgeous touches of his unique orchestration abound in this movement, along with elusive harmonic colors, and the third movement is the gentlest of minuets, interspersed with two trios. Each of its sections becomes a variant of what came before and contrast is achieved by sudden changes in the pulse. The extroverted finale makes an oblique reference to the symphony’s two opening themes, then builds climax upon climax in a gigantic movement that concludes in a brassy display.
Recorded in 4k live in Orchestra Hall December 7, 2025 with conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider.
00:00 – I. Allegro non troppo
15:25 – II. Adagio non troppo
25:53 – III. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andantino)
31:26 – IV. Allegro con spirito
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